On A Wing & A Prayer
by Fiora Kariakis-Mana
Summary: Sesshomaru saves a young human woman from a demon, and after Rin's begging, takes her back to his castle to recover. However, something happes that the two could have never had expected... (lots of OOC-ness! not a good summary! FINISHED!)
1. Prologue

__

On a Wing and a Prayer 

Prologue

Sesshomaru was wandering listlessly through a forest in the heart of his lands, when he heard a high-pitched scream of his human, pet, Rin. The smell of human blood was also thick in the air, as well as that of a demon. Sheer boredom fueling him, he decided to take action. In one of his demon bounds, he found the source of the chaos. 

There he saw a richly dressed young woman, with, even to his eyes, a hideous green ogre trying to fight and tear his way under her many layers of skirts. _Springtime…_he grimaced, _every woman is fair game. _Feeling sympathetic, a ball of light formed in his hand. As it developed into a whip, he cracked it at the demon, slicing its shoulder. Grabbing its gushing wound, it lost interest in the girl, who now lay unconscious on the dirt. The demon, enraged by his actions, charged mindlessly at him, only to receive four, acidic gashes on his face. Now gripping his face, the demon took a fearful step back, and quickly ran off into the forest, leaving his prey for the vultures. 

When the demon was gone, Sesshomaru heard Rin and Jaken appear behind him. "Master, what be ye--- Oh, she's pretty far-gone, wouldn't you say?" he asked, giggling over the sight of the injured young woman. Rin looked over at her, and then up at Sesshomaru, down at the girl, and back at Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru-sama, she is hurted. Can we take her back to the castle?" she asked. He gave no reply, which in his language, meant no. Rin looked down, sniffling a bit. This got Sesshomaru's attention quite nicely. He looked down at the girl, and she looked up. Puppy-dog pouting with tears threatening to fall from her eyes, she asked again. 

Not wanting to attract _every _demon in the forest with the little girl's tears, he silently walked over to where the girl lay, and slung her over his shoulder. He scowled, feeling the human's blood drip onto his clothing. Jaken, of course, was stunned. "Milord, what in all the hells are you doing?" he asked. Sesshomaru sighed. He _knew _that Rin had him wrapped around her finger. It wasn't one of the things he was proud of, but her company was much better than the little green imp's, so why get her mad? He sighed again. _Humans are such trivial creatures…_


	2. The Lady of Silver

__

On a Wing and a Prayer 

Part I : The Lady of Silver 

A few hours later, the human that Sesshomaru had rescued awoke in a large bed in a dark, cavernous room. Her hazel eyes fluttered open, and they immediately started scanning the room. "Where…where am I?" she asked. She sat up, brushing a strand of her midnight black hair out of her face. She squinted, trying to distinguish the different objects in the pitch black. Then she heard footsteps and saw a bright light to her left. 

She turned, the sunlight streaming through the now-open window burning her eyes. Shielding her eyes, she saw a young woman with a fluffy fox tail and pointed ears, holding a bowl of water and what looked like fresh bandages. "Oh, so you've returned to the realm of the living," she said. The fox walked over at pulled away the curtains of a second window as the young woman's sight began to return. "W-who are you? Where am I?" she demanded. The fox woman laughed a little. "Calm down. My name is Kyoko. And what might yours be?" she asked in reply. 

The young woman looked down at her wounds before speaking. The memory of what had happened was still quite foggy. "My name is Gina. And if I may ask…what manner of beast are you exactly?" she asked. Kyoko sighed. "I am simply a kitsune servant. And by the clothes you were wearing, I would say that you were a human princess," she replied. Gina then remembered the demon that had tried to rape her. "That demon! Where is he? Did _he_ bring me here?" she demanded. 

Kyoko set a folded, black yukata on the bed, smirking a little. "No, child. The lord who brought you here is the one who _rescued _you," she replied. Gina sighed. _I wonder which is the greater of two evils…_Kyoko dipped one of the rags in water, and began peeling off one of the bloody bandages. As Kyoko began to wipe the damp rag along the large gashes on Gina's back, Sesshomaru silently entered the room.

Neither of the women noticed him until her cleared his throat. Kyoko looked up, still continuing with the treatment of Gina's terrible wounds. "Ah, Lord Sesshomaru, I see you've picked up the scent of Lday Gina's blood," she said. Gina blushed a bit, feeling shamed by being dressed in only bandages in front of a man, demon or human. Looking up, she looked upon his face. Amber eyes, a purple crescent, and red scars, rimmed by pale skin and silver hair. He scoffed and exited the room, seemingly disgusted with the human he had rescued. She looked down, wincing as Kyoko rubbed herbs into her incredibly sore wounds. _Well, at least he certainly looks friendlier…_

When Kyoko was done with Gina's new bandages, she handed her the black yukata. Gina gladly accepted, and after some assistance from Kyoko, she stood to dress herself. The dark dress was much lighter than the clothing she was used to, being that it was only one simple layer instead of the ornate clothing of a princess. She figured it was better, since there wouldn't be too much weight on her wounds. When her belt was secure, she fell back onto the large bed. 

After shutting the drapes again, Kyoko walked out of the room, almost running into Sesshomaru. "When do you think she'll leave?" he demanded sternly. Kyoko eyed him cynically. "Milord, if I may be blunt, she's human. She requires much more time to recover from such awful wounds," she said blandly. He began to walk away, but stopped. "Keep her in that room. I would appreciate to have only _one_ human loose in my castle." 


	3. Stating the Obvious

On a Wing & a Prayer 

Part II: Stating the Obvious 

Gina hadn't really fallen asleep ever since she had laid back down. She had simply started into the dark for only gods know how long. She was mostly thinking of her family. Her mother, her baby brother Tenchi, and her future husband, Kurai. She was supposed to marry him in a month and a half. She could feel tears forming in her eyes. She had a great, privileged life as a princess. But now, she was in the custody of some demon lord, and she had no idea what her fate would be. _Well, at least he has yet to try and kill me…_

She slowly began to shut her eyes, the lethargy of boredom setting in, when she heard the large door crack open. She quickly sat up, wincing from her wounds. She looked about for a moment, not seeing anyone until she looked down. She saw a little girl, who was apparently human. "H-how are you feeling?" she asked meekly. Gina smiled weakly and sighed a little. The little girl gave her a big, lopsided grin, and after struggling, pulled herself up onto the bed. 

"That makes Rin happy!" she cooed, talking about herself in the third person. Gina laughed a little. "You remind me of my younger brother," she said gently. Rin's smile grew. "Really? Rin does? She asked curiously. Gina smiled and nodded a bit. _Could I really be in the same residence as that demon lord? _

"Could you tell me," Gina started, "What the name of your master is?" Rin nodded. "Yeah. Sesshomaru-sama is very nice to Rin," she replied happily. Gina thought for a moment. _Well, at least if he's kept her around, I should be safe for a bit._ Gina sighed again, and then heard footsteps at the door. Gina looked up. It was Sesshomaru, the lord of the castle. "Well, I see you've awakened from your little nap," he said sarcastically, "And so, you should get going. You wouldn't want to dilly-dally in _this _forest after dark." 

Gina scowled horribly at him. _I should lynch you!!! _But of course, she thought of how a proper princess should behave, especially before a lord, be he human _or_ demon. "I do not think it would be wise for me to venture out with fresh injuries," she started, not daring to look into his amber eyes, "Especially in a predicament such as my own, being that I have no means of protection." 

__

Weak human, he thought. She was holding her own, he'd give her that much. However, he still didn't want her around. _Dead weight, _he thought again. Although, it would be quite amusing to see how she would act around all the demons in his household. She seemed to be overly uncomfortable near himself and the servant that had taken care of her, and she had yet to see the tremendous amount of rabble that served him. Of course, they weren't the strongest of demons, but to any human they would at least be rattling. 

Rin smiled and hopped off the bed. "Sesshomaru-sama, Gina-chan is very nice!" she proclaimed. Sesshomaur looked up at Gina. "So, _that _is your name," he said. Gina nodded a little. He nodded a little. "You look as though you are of a prominent clan, am I correct?" he asked. She nodded again. "Hai, I am Nobunaga Gina, princess of the Nobunaga clan," she replied. He turned and began to walk away. "Well, Nobunaga Gina, come morning, you must leave," he said coldly. Gina simply glared at him, just wanting to get up and punch him out. 

But of course, this would _definitely _not be the princess-like thing to do. She looked up. He, too, was scowling fiercely at her. "And may I ask what you are staring at?" she asked, her voice like knives. He smirked a little. "Nothing," he started, "Simply the rebellious look on your face. I take it you don't like me much." Gina gaped a little. She was looking at him like he had fallen out of the sky. _No, really, _she thought cynically. But instead of saying something ignorant and rude, she smirked a little. She _did_ owe him her life, so she could at least be polite. 

"Hmm, let's just say that I'm not the fondest person of demons. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get a little bit of sleep before I have to go," she said icily. He simply stared down at her for a second, then turned, walking out of the room, simply saying, "Come, Rin."

The little girl, of course, smiled and happily obliged, skipping after him as he left the room. As he walked away, Gina saw bloodstains on his shirt. An unusual feeling of thankfulness flooded through her. She would bet that that was her blood. But it faded after a moment, and she laid back on the bed. _I should have no trouble getting home, _she thought. But then, her thoughts returned to the terrible demon that had attacked her. _What if it comes after me again? _She shivered at the thought. 

Then she remembered that Sesshomaru had two blades at his hip, and he _was _able to thwart the beast in the first place…

She got up, walking over to the door and quickly opening it. She then saw Sesshomaru only a yard away, and called out to him. "Wait!" 


	4. The Flower of Carnage

**__**

[A/N: Hello. This is fictionqueen1 speaking. I would just like to sincerely thank you all for the reviews and for being so supportive. Thanks, and of course, keep them coming!] 

Part III: The Flower of Carnage

Gina limped out of the room, seeing the look on Sesshomaru's face change. She could virtually see his patience wearing thin. "You…" she started, "You were able to defeat that demon, so I want you to teach me how to wield a blade." He raised a silver eyebrow as she walked closer. "And what exactly makes you think that I'll do that?" he asked sarcastically. 

Gina scowled a little. "Because…it is an order from a royal princess," she said cynically. He chuckled acerbically. "What exactly makes you think that I'll listen to you?" he demanded. Gina scratched her chin a little. "Would you teach me if it would get me out of here sooner?" she asked. He thought for a moment. In the short time she had been in his company, she had been quite obnoxious. "Alright," the taiyoukai started, giving a large and extremely annoyed sigh, "Fine. I'll teach you to fight."

With this answer, Gina's face lit up. She could not believe he had actually agreed to train her in the ways of the blade. Actually, what she had expected was to be beaten into a bloody pulp. _He probably just doesn't want to get blood all over his fancy clothes and in his nice hair. _Gina smirked a little at the thought. He probably _was _that shallow. _He's as shallow as a puddle after a drizzle, _she thought blasphemously, her smirk growing. That's when Sesshomaru noticed the cynical grin. 

"What are _you_ smiling about?" he demanded harshly. Gina quickly flashed her princess smile and came up with something polite to say. "I am simply happy that you have found it in your heart to teach me the way of the sword, milord," she said. He simply smirked sarcastically, barring a ferocious fang, and walked off. 

Gina eyed him harshly as he walked off. Se hated being there. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to see her mother and brother. And she wanted to get married. Kurai was so perfect for her…she just felt like holding him close forever. But she didn't even know if she would ever even hear his name spoken again at this point. She didn't even know if she'd hear anyone call her Princess Nobunaga Gina again. As she felt tears well in her eyes, she stopped her train of depressing thoughts. She _would _get home and nothing would stop her. Not even that stuck-up demon called Lord Sesshomaru…

But, what she didn't know was that Sesshomaru had the acute hearing of a dog, and also that she had thought the last part aloud. "Stuck-up, _am _I?" he asked, his voice like acid. Gina slowly turned, gazing up at his menacing face. "H-hey…" she started. He snarled a little, but his rage quickly passed, and he handed her a wooden sword. "Let's get started, shall we?" 

Gina, not wanting to offend her savage host any more than she had, quickly took the practice blade. He turned and began walking silently away. Gina figured that he was simply going outside. She simply stood still for a moment, awkwardly gripping the wooden toy in her hands. She didn't even know how to hold one of these things, and yet she had convinced herself that she could master it, still injured, in one day. But, returning to the real world, she looked around, the demon lord was gone! She looked both ways, vaguely remembering which way he had gone. Following the path she believed to be right, she ran down the cavernous hall, her fake sword near her chest as though she would bludgeon anyone who happened upon her. 

About five minutes later, though, she found Sesshomaru, in an isolated, barren section of courtyard, looking quite desperate to get this experience over with and the weak human out of his hair. She slowly took a step outside, and he turned, glaring fiercely at her. "Well," he said, scowling, "It took you long enough. Still suffering from your wounds, you weak little ningen?" Gina's eyes fell down to the ground, her cheeks turning a bit red. While she was looking down, Sesshomaru raised his wooden practice blade, and swung it at her head.

Hearing the fake blade flying toward her, she looked up, and awkwardly raised her own sword. As the wooden toy drew closer, she let out a huge scream, so loud and high-pitched that he stopped, wincing in annoyance and pain. Gina opened a single eyes, looking at the short proximity between the false blade and her head, gaping. "You…you were actually going to hurt me, weren't you!?" she demanded frantically. 

Sesshomaru simply glared fiercely at her. "It would have been _nice _top have you out cold again…" he growled under his breath, snarling terribly. She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, what was that?" she asked, a cold politeness about her. "Nothing. I was just thinking of how you want to learn to use a sword, and yet you can't even hold one properly. You have never even thought twice of being trained, have you?" he asked, his voice like acid. "W-well…no, not really…" 

Sesshomaru grabbed the practice sword from her and threw the both of them in the corner of the dust-worn garden. "We'll start this tomorrow. I have much too much of a headache right now." And with that, he walked off, leaving Gina there alone. The young princess simply made a face. 

__

Take a chill pill, dude…


	5. The Pain in his Eyes

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part IV: The Pain in his Eyes 

Gina thought for a moment, still in that lonely patch of courtyard. _Am I really that annoying? _She shook her head. "Why should I care anything about that pretentious freak?" she muttered angrily. She turned and walked back inside, still fuming. _That jerk, _she thought cynically, _he probably just get tired of me and kill me off. _With that thought, she started walking again. 

But, she had no idea where she was. With directions, her memory was non-existent. In that past few minutes, she knew she had already taken quite a few wrong turns, but she had no recollection of _which _direction was right exactly. She stopped, trying to think back. _Which way did I come? _She turned the corner, walking down a completely new hall. By this point, she was utterly and totally lost. It had been getting dark when she was outside, and now the halls were blacked as well, lit only by a few small torches. 

"Jeeze," she grumbled lowly, "How could a guy who lives alone with no friends need such a big castle?" She laughed a little to herself, but the slight feeling of comfort soon dissipated. For some strange reason, she wished that Kyoko, the kitsune woman that had tended her wounds, were there. Besides the little girl named Rin, she knew no one else in the castle. Or, at least no one who had been kind to her. Except for the fact that he had saved her from that terrible demon in the woods, he had treated her like dirt. Even when he had been kind enough to offer to teach her to use a sword, he had backed out and blamed her for his migraine. 

__

He is such a virgin, she mused, smirking a little. Then she heard footsteps behind her. She turned and saw no one. She looked back out in front of her, when someone behind her spoke. "A little lost?" Gina spun around again. There was Sesshomaru, staring at her with a raised eyebrow. "I…I guess so," she replied in a low mumble. Apparently, though, he had heard her. He walked over to her, filling the distance in only two strides. Gina winced a little, thinking he would strike her, but he didn't. 

Instead, he set his large hand on her shoulder, turning her a little. He then started walking, Gina in tow. As they walked, Gina looked up at his emotionless features. He could feel her staring. "What?" he asked. Gina looked down, blushing a little. "O-oh, nothing. I r-really didn't expect you to walk me b-back to my room, that's all," she stuttered. He stopped and looked down at her, glaring slightly. "Well, if you don't want anything to do with me, I'd be _glad_ to leave you here," he said, his voice like ice. But Gina wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying, since she was much too busy gazing into his amber eyes. 

Unlike his expression, his eyes were deep, piercing, and full of pain. Like windows into his lonely soul. She had never seen anything like those eyes…nothing so hurt. Gina came back to the real world when she heard him speak. 

"What are you staring at?" he demanded. Gina quickly looked away, not knowing what would be the best answer. "Oh, nothing, just…nothing," she replied. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes a bit, let go of Gina's shoulder, and started walking again. Not wanting to get lost once again, Gina followed, staying at a close distance from the seemingly frustrated demon lord. 

Maybe he does have a soul, Gina thought in amazement. Well, he _did save_ her from that demon. But for how long would he keep her alive? So many thoughts flooded her at once. As she entered her room, she watched Sesshomaru disappear into the darkness. And when he was gone, she shut the massive door, and crept back to the large bed to sleep, the only other thing she _could _do. 


	6. Do You Have to Yell Like That?

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part V: Do You Have to Yell Like That? 

The next morning when Gina awoke, everything was the same as it had been the day before. She was still in Sesshomaru's castle, and she had no idea when exactly she would be able to leave. But, she had seen Sesshomaru in a new light. Not that she thought he was a good, kind-hearted being. It was just that under his cold, evil exterior, he may have a righteous heart. _Or at least a part of it._

Gina sat up and ran a hand through her hair. It only took a few seconds for one her fingers to snag on a knot. She stood, fumbling through the dark room. She wandered over to one of the windows, quickly opening the drape. As soon as she did this, the large room flooded with light. She moved her eyes along the span of the room, when her eyes fell on a small, ebony vanity. 

She opened another window. She was sick of all this darkness. When the room was lit, Gina walked over to the vanity, humbled by the one she had in her castle, and started scouring for a comb. After a few minutes, she found one that was made of ivory. She took it to her hair ad began brushing. She sighed a little. "Everything in this castle is so nice," she muttered, "If its master was, it would be a perfect match." She quickly brushed out the rest of her hair, and after tightening her black yukata back up from sleeping in it, she went to the door. 

Gina quickly opened the large door and took a step outside into the hall, where she was greeted by Kyoko. "Well," the kitsune servant started, "I was just coming to see if you were awake. The lord was asking about you." Gina raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked quizzically. Kyoko simply nodded. "It was a vague mention of you, but…" the fox replied simply. Gina thought for a moment, staring off into space. 

__

Why is he asking about me? Why in all the hells would he… Gina came back from her thoughts when Kyoko waved a hand in her face. "Anyone home?" she asked. Gina laughed a little, smirking half-heartedly. Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Just what _exactly_ did you two do to make him ask about you?" the kitunse asked. Gina simply scowled. "I would do no such thing! I am _engaged _after all," she hissed. Kyoko laughed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," she chuckled. Gina looked away, still glaring at her. "Well, it wasn't very funny," she said angrily. 

Gina looked at Kyoko's odd grin. "What…exactly _did _he ask?" Gina inquired. Kyoko shook her head a little. "Nothing much…he simply asked if you had yet awaken, and that was what I was coming to see you," Kyoko replied. Gina nodded a little, thought for a moment, and then started walking. Kyoko turned and called after her. "Where are you going?" Gina stopped for a moment and looked back and gave a simple reply, "I'm going to find Sesshomaru."   


The young princess walked down the hall, moving as silently as she could. _That guy is like a ghost. He moves like a shadow or something…_ With the thoughts of how stealth and agile Sesshomaru was, she hadn't even noticed him walking behind her. As they walked, Sesshomaru following her like a spirit, he cleared his throat. Gina stopped, and slowly turned, and when she shrieked.

As Gina calmed down, Sesshomaru rubbed one of his ears, wincing a little. "Do you have to scream like that?" he asked sarcastically. Gina simply glared at him. "Do you have sneak up on people like that?!" she yelled. "Quiet!" he shouted. Gina bit her tongue, simply fearing he would punish her in some way. "So," he asked, "Do you still want to learn how to wield a blade, or are you too frail to take up a man's skill?" Gina scowled at him. "Of course I still want to! I want to get _out _of here," she growled, her voice changing to a sarcastic murmur, "Although it would be _much _easier if _you _escorted me." Sesshomaru looked down at her with a thoughtful look for a moment, then grabbed onto her arm. 

He started walking, Gina still in tow. "What do you think you're doing?!" she demanded angrily. He looked back at her, smirking mockingly. "I'm simply taking your advice and getting rid of you myself," he replied. And so, he kept walking, lugging Gina along behind him. 


	7. The Princess's Escort

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part VI: The Princess's Escort 

Sesshomaru walked along quickly, dragging Gina behind him. "Let go of me!" she yelled. "Silence!" he hissed. Gina did so, scowling fiercely. _Who does he think he is? _He continued down the hall, moving very fast. Gina was simply glaring, her cheeks growing red. "How do you think you can take me back to my castle if you don't even know where it is?" 

He didn't answer at first, but then glanced back at her. "Don't worry, I think I'm capable of finding it," he said sarcastically. "They'll kill you, you know," she said, her voice like acid. He stopped, turned, and eyed her like she had just fallen from a tree. "Who do you think would be _stupid _enough to try and kill me?" he asked. "My fiancée's army. He is a powerful warlord, and will probably think you were the one who had kidnapped me and had kept me hostage. With all of the powerful samurai who are faithful to him, not even you will stand a chance," she answered matter-of-factly. Sesshomaru simply scoffed in reply. 

"You're naïve if you think that _I _can be killed by humans. Even an army of them," he chuckled. Gina's scowl grew as his grip tightened. "Now, no more interruptions," he said. With that, he started again, a wicked grin dancing on his lips. Gina, of course, had no choice but to follow after him like some kind of blind sheep. It was terrible. After a few moments of following after him, they rushed past Kyoko. The servant, looking very concerned, followed after them. "Milord, where are you taking Lady Gina?" she asked, well, more like demanded. He didn't stop. He simply glared at her. "This wench is annoying so I'm taking her back to wherever the hell she came from." 

After stating this, he walked passed her. Kyoko simply sighed, although Gina was still glaring at his 'wench' remark. As they reached the castle's main door, a bulky guard opened it, allowing passage for the two. When they were outside, Gina simply inhaled the fresh air. 

It was quite sunny, and after a few moments, Sesshomaru released her and slowed his pace tremendously. Gina looked down at her arm, which now had black-and-blue finger marks on it. "Look what you did to me!" she exclaimed angrily. Sesshomaru glanced back at her, glaring. "Do you always talk like this?" he asked mockingly. Gina raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" "Too much." 

After a few hours of this non-stop walking and non-stop silence, Gina finally spoke. "Sesshomaru," she started, "Can we rest for a while?" He simply scoffed. "You're too weak. The only thing you could _ever _be is a pampered little princes, am I correct?" he asked sarcastically. Gian frowned. "You don't have to get insulting about it or anything," she muttered. After that, there was again, a few moments of silence. That is until Gina let out a small yelp of pain. 

Sesshomaru stopped and turned, a frustrated look on his face. There was Gina, standing on one foot, gripping her other ankle. "What _now_?" he asked. "I got my foot stuck in a rabbit's nest or something…and I think I twisted my ankle," she replied, tears welling in her eyes. Sesshomaru gave a silent groan. "Sit down, then," he said simply. Gina looked a little surprised at this unusual compassion, but quickly sat down, a lot of pain being relieved. Sesshomaru simply scowled. "You walk around like that too long and you won't be able to move around at all. Then I'd _have _to leave you here," he hissed. 

Gina gave him the evil eye, watching as he listened. "Get behind those trees," he stated simply, reaching for his sword. Gina complied, not knowing what was going on. While sitting amongst the underbrush, where she was most concerned about whatever may be crawling around down there, she heard a large rumble, almost like a growl. She peeked her head around a small tree, and saw a ferocious, lumbering demon standing in front of Sesshomaru, poised to attack. 


	8. Mysterious Powers

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part VII: Mysterious Powers 

__

That demon! It's so huge! Will Sesshomaru be able to kill it? Gina looked around the tree again. There wasn't a bit of worry on Sesshomaru's face. "Okay, so I was wrong," she muttered silently, "He _is_ heartless!" She hid behind the tree again, and then heard the sound of the demon screeching, and the splash of blood on the dirt. 

She peeked out again. Sesshomaru had slashed off part of its arm, but it was simply too big. Gina shivered, gripping the tree's trunk. _Please be okay, _she prayed, _I don't wanna be killed by a demon!_ She watched as the demon lowered its claws, slashing at Sesshomaru. Gina winced, then heard the sound of something smashing against the ground. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was dust and large rocks. 

"Sesshomaru!" she called out. When she did this, the demon noticed her, and growled. Gina's eyes widened. _Oh, great! _she thought, _Now I gonna be killed by this thing! _The large demon lumbered towards her, its fangs dripping _in_ a yellowish-green slobber. She shut her eyes, trying to drown out the sounds around her. But there was one she couldn't filter out: the squealing of the demon. 

Once again, she opened her eyes, and saw the ferocious creature crying out in agonizing pain, a large slash across its chest. And then there was Sesshomaru, a gash on his shoulder, although it really didn't seem to bother him much. Gina sighed in relief, catching the demon lord's attention. "You can't _do _things like that, fool!" he yelled. She simply scowled. "I was worried about you! I thought you had been squished!" she yelled back. 

Sesshomaru chuckled a bit. "Did you really think that a demon with power such as mine could be _squished _by such rabble?" he asked sarcastically. Without waiting for an answer, he turned back to the demon, smirking a bit. He chuckled slightly, gripping the Tokijin tightly. "And _you _my friend, you will know what it means to go though real pain soon enough!" With that, he leapt into the air, his sword raised to kill.

But the demon wasn't going to be defeated that easily. Armed with a need for vengeance, a type of evil smirk crossed its face, and it spat a small spray of the same disgusting slime that it had been slobbering earlier at Sesshomaru. Some of it struck the demon lord, and he hit the ground, missing the other demon with his sword terribly. 

He couldn't see. Whatever it was had blinded him, and the portion that had gotten on his face stung like fire. And the noxious fumes were making it hard for him to breathe. He rubbed his eyes on his sleeve, but that didn't help. It simply made it worse. He sheathed his demon blade, coughed quite a bit, and rubbed his eyes again. "Dammit!" he cursed, coughing again. Sesshomaru looked up, and the demon raised its huge, clawed hand, slashing down at him. 

In his present state, Sesshomaru was easily thrown back into a huge tree. He fell to the ground, and as far as Gina could tell, he was unconscious. Watching the demon, it seemed that it had lost interest in the both of them, and was simply basking in its apparent victory. Gina took a deep breath, and then ran out to her fallen protector. 

When he reached him, she kneeled beside him, begging him to awaken, or give her some kind of sign that he was still alive. "Sesshomaru, please," she whispered gently, "Wake up!" She heard the demon turning toward them, and then looked up. It was preparing to do the exact same thing it had done to Sesshomaru. "Foolish…mortal," the demon chided weakly. She looked down at him, and there he was, giving her a half conscious scowl. "Shut up," she muttered, "Just shut up. If I'm gonna die here, I don't wanna be insulted beforehand." 

The demon above them gave a sickening sort of laugh as Sesshomaru flinched in pain. _He must really be hurt,_ Gina thought. The demon slashed its claws down at them, and as Gina winced in anticipation of her demise, something happened. 

Pure black surrounded her to the point where she couldn't see a thing, and a great pain formed in her chest, almost as if her very soul was being dragged out of her body. _Please, someone, anyone! HELP ME!!! _But she hadn't said a word. Her throat was paralyzed. She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't. _What's happening to me?! _As soon as she thought this, a swirling, glowing light appeared before her eyes, and it was telling her to reach out. 

At first she believed that it was some sort of spell that the demon had cast on her. But something inside was telling her, _forcing _her reach out. And so, with no other choice, she did. Gina clasped her hands around something, like cold, icy steel. _A staff…? What is this staff?_ She could feel herself being lifted off the ground. And as if she knew to do it herself, she slashed the staff in her hand across the air. 

The first thing Gina heard was the sound of the demon's terrified cry, and then it faded. She took a few steps through the air, and as her feet touched the ground, her sight returned. The demon was gone, and sparkling ashes fell around her. And she wasn't even near Sesshomaru anymore. She looked back, and there he was, still lying unconscious on the ground. 

She then looked down at her hands. They each had a large burn mark on them, in the shape of…a staff. She bit her lip. _What in all the hells was that? _


	9. Deep Thoughts

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part IX: Deep Thoughts 

A few hours later, Sesshomaru awoke. His vision had returned, and the pain from his wounds had faded considerably. He blinked a little, looked around, and saw Gina leaned against a tree. _What happened? Did she slay that demon? _He got up, and his stirring caught Gina's attention. 

"Oh, good," she said as she stood, walking over to him, "You're awake. I guess you're wounds weren't that serious." He simply scowled, walking past her. But he stopped, looking quite thoughtful. "Why were you so concerned about me?" he asked quizzically. Gina's eyes simply widened as he asked this. 

"Well…I ah…just didn't…um…want to get eaten by that demon, that's all!" she yelled. Sesshomaru turned and glared at her. "Oh really. Then what happened to that demon?" he demanded. "Umm…" Gina stammered. She really didn't know _what _had happened to that vile creature. "Well, it…ran away," she said. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that so. I thought originally that it wanted to have us for his next _meal_!" he hissed, scowling. 

Gina laughed a little, trying to come up with something. _I've never been good at lying…_ "Okay, so I used a spell my grandmother taught me to protect myself. I never thought it would be powerful enough to actually destroy a demon like _that_," she replied. Sesshomaru smirked cynically. He could smell the stress on her, and he knew that she was lying. With all of these lies, he knew that _she _didn't even know what had happened. 

His smirk grew a little, and he started walking again. _Yes, yes. You used a spell. I'll let you think that…until you reveal your true power. _As he walked, he felt a twinge of pain in his back. His wounds were minor, but a few pieces of the demon's claws broke off into them, and they continued to dig into his flesh. "Um…Sesshomaru?" 

Sesshomaru looked down. "_Now _what do you want?" he demanded. Gina simply smiled. "I just wanted to ask if you were alright," she said gently. He scowled. "Just shut up and follow me. The faster we go, the sooner we'll get to your little castle, and the faster I can get rid of you," he growled. He continued on silently, and Gina leered at him. _Jeeze, you get concerned about a guy and he bites your head off! _

Gina sighed as she followed Sesshomaru. _I wonder he really plans to take me back home, _she thought. _I just hope he doesn't get too fed up with me and kill me! _She furrowed her brow a bit. She wasn't sure if she should have even trusted him this long. But, she knew she had a tendency to get quite annoying, and if he hadn't killed her _yet_…

She had been following him for about an hour. For the entire time, he had been silent, and as far as she could tell, his expression had remained the same as well. Gina looked over at him, and her eyes fell on the gashes on his back. She felt very guilty. If she hadn't gotten that demon's attention, he wouldn't have been hurt saving her. 

__

But why did he save me? she thought. A thoughtful look crossed her face. He was taking her home because he wanted her out of his hair. But if that was what he wanted, why did he rescue her? It would have been much easier to simply let the demon kill her. This was all much too confusing for her. He said he wanted one thing, and yet he protected her like little Rin said he did with her. Gina was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice the light rain that began.

She sighed a little, shutting her hazel eyes. She didn't really mind it; she had always liked the rain. She smiled a bit to herself, continuing on. But when she felt something fluffy hit her shoulders, she opened her eyes and looked up. The first thing she saw was the quite fuzzy boa that belonged to Sesshomaru draped over her shoulders. She blinked once or twice to make sure she wasn't seeing things, and then she glanced over at Sesshomaru. 

Gina eyed him strangely, but flashed him a slight, thankful smile. Instead of scowling at her in turn, he gave her a small, twisted sort of smirk, but gave no other reply. It was so faint that it was hard to tell if it was malicious or kind, but it was something. The demon lord turned, looking back down at the ground, and swallowed hard. 

__

Why am I doing this? he thought angrily, _Why in all the hells did I save her?! _He scowled, but it was only for a moment. This was so not like him. She may have displayed an extraordinary power earlier, but she was still a human. A princess, but still filth in his eyes. But…he was being _kind _to her…risking _himself _to protect _her_! He mentally slapped himself. Perhaps it was simply because it was springtime again and she was female. _Quite attractive at that…_Another slap. She was human, for the gods' sake! He, the mighty Lord Sesshomaru, a name that made even the strongest demons quiver in fear, was having lustful thoughts over some useless human woman! 

As Gina snuggled her face against the warm boa, she noticed the change in Sesshomaru's pace. "I wonder what _his _problem is…" she muttered lowly. He looked back at her, glaring. "What? What'd I do _now_?" she asked sarcastically. He turned back, breathing through his nose. "Nothing, just a headache. Just…just shut up already," he hissed menacingly. 

She simply scowled. _Why that little…_ she thought angrily. But Gina quickly dismissed it. She _definitely _owed him one. _Big time_, she thought again. She just had no idea how to thank him. They barely knew each other, and he had gotten hurt saving her very _life_. There was not one man who had asked for her hand that would have _ever_ done something like that. When her thoughts of how to repay the demon lord slipped into the world of eroticism, she quickly woke herself. 

__

How could I even imagine doing something that vile!! I am to be married in only a month or so! she scolded, _And how could I ever think of stooping so low…and with a demon no less! _Gina scowled at herself. It remained there for a moment, but it faded as she tugged the furry boa around her. She closed her eyes, and as she walked on, she ran right into Sesshomaru. 

Instead of scolding her, or saying anything, really, he growled. His eyes weren't looking in any particular direction, but it still worried Gina a little. "What is it?" she asked, sounding a little bit panicked. He sniffed the air, and then hissed only one word: "Inu-Yasha…" 


	10. HalfBrother's Attack

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part X: Half-Brother's Attack

Gina looked at him quizzically. "Who's this Inu-Yasha or something or other?" she asked. He spoke, but not really in a reply to her. "Dammit!" he hissed, "That little mutt just keeps coming back for more!" Gina blinked a few times. "Apparently he's not a friend of his," she muttered to herself. He simply glared at her. "Stay here. I should be able to take care of this in a moment," he growled. 

With that said, he unsheathed Toiling and leapt forward, but returned a few moments later. He slid his sword back into its sheath and spoke. "Give me this!" he growled, tearing his boa from her shoulders. "Hey!" she snapped, "I thought you were going to let me keep warm with this!" He simply kept it and started putting it back on. "I don't really _prefer_ to go into battle without _all _of my clothing. Especially if I'm letting a _human _use it." 

Before Sesshomaru could finish with his boa, a blue of red and white darted through the trees, wielding what looked like a fang. And along with it came the cry, "Sesshomaru, you bastard! I'll finally kill you!"   


This fang-wielding blur came right toward them, and was narrowly avoided when Sesshomaru grabbed Gina in his arm and leapt out of the way with her in tow. When they landed, Sesshomaru released her and drew his blade. The blur was also clear now. A young man with the same silver hair and amber eyes as Sesshomaru, but with two dog's ears and a red kimono. A moment later, an oddly-dressed girl, a demon exterminator, and a monk ran up behind him. 

"Sesshomaru!" the dog-eared boy yelled, "Issat girl another one of your prisoners?!" Sesshomaru scowled, but did nothing more. But Gina…Gina felt that she had to defend him, just as he had defended her, although it wasn't from physical harm. "I'll have you know that Sesshomaru is taking me back to my home!" she retorted. Everyone had the same look on their face: a mixture of surprise and awe of her audacity. 

The hanyou raised an eyebrow. "Is this true, Sesshomaru?" he demanded. The demon lord simply scowled. "I don't owe you any explanations, half-breed!" he snapped back. His grip on his sword increased as his tension did. Gina walked up next to him, a worried expression on his face. "Is that boy Inu-Yasha?" she asked simply. Sesshomaru gave a nod. "Get back," he said sternly. Gina blinked. "I'll take care of him myself," he continued, "He shouldn't be _too _much of a problem." 

A small smirk grew on Sesshomaru's face. "Well then, Inu-Yasha. Why don't you come at me? So aggressive and cutthroat, but are you truly me with my powerful new sword?" he asked sarcastically. The hanyou simply growled at him. "It's your funeral," he sneered, raising his blade. With that, he charged at Sesshomaru. 

The demon lord met his younger half-brother with his own blade, blocking him strongly. Gina quickly ran backwards, not wanting to get hurt. But she was worried about Sesshomaru, as well. He was already hurt, and she could see that he was still in pain. _Oh, Sesshomaru, _she thought, _please don't get yourself killed! _

Inu-Yasha pulled away from their deadlock, glaring at Sesshomaru. "I can see you're already hurt," he chuckled, "That'll be your death! And as for your little girlfriend, well, we'll make sure she _really _gets home." Gina simply glared at him. If she had claws, she would tear him apart. "You…jerk," she muttered. 

Sesshomaru lunged at Inu-Yasha, missing him by so little that he cut off a few strands of his silvery hair. They both hit the ground at the same time, both growling loudly. Sesshomaru turned, seeing that Inu-Yasha was already darting toward him. He was caught so off-guard that even though he tried to dodge it, he was still hit mid-torso, sending the demon lord to the ground. 

As Sesshomaru writhed in pain on the ground, Inu-Yasha chuckled. "And now, it's your head," he hissed. Sesshomaru pulled himself to his knees, but he was not quick enough. But Gina ran over, standing between the demon lord and his half-breed little brother. "No!" she yelled, "Don't hurt him!" Inu-Yasha and Sesshomaru both looked astonished at this. 

"Gina…get back," he commanded. "No!" Gina repeated, kneeling down next to him, "You've already been hurt once defending me, Sesshomaru, and I'm not about ready to let it happen again!" He stared at her wide-eyed for a moment, but then reverted to his look of thin-patience. "I won't say it again, Gina! Get back!" he growled. Gina gritted her teeth for a moment, but finally gave in to plan B. 

Gina grabbed his shoulders, and then hesitantly pressed her lips against Sesshomaru's, draping herself over him. Sesshomaru looked completely surprised, but after a moment, he shut his eyes and slid an arm around her dainty waist. Inu-Yasha watched in astonishment as his elder brother pulled the human girl onto his lap, his hand moving down to her behind. 

A moment later, they parted. But instead of the expected, which was Sesshomaru's yelling, they simply gazed into each other's eyes. That is until Inu-Yasha started snapping his fingers and waving his hands. "Okay, okay, enough already! I know you two are having yourselves a little 'Days of Our Lives' moment here, but we're in the middle of a battle, dontcha remember, _big bro_?" he said sarcastically. 

Sesshomaru glared up at his brother, and then back at Gina, quickly forcing her off. He grabbed Tokijin, stood, and quickly sheathed it. As his wounds stung, he angrily bared his fangs at Inu-Yasha. "We'll finish this _another_ time," he said, his voice like acid. He then glared down at Gina. "Get up! We're going," he growled. With that, he stormed off, being closely followed by the young princess…

**__**

[A/N: Hey there. Just wanted to thank you all for all of these wonderful reviews!! ^_^ So just keep them coming! Oh, and the little 'Days of Our Lives' comment…I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. You guys should watch it. Oh, and for all you little law people out there…I don't own Inu-Yasha or Days of Our Lives…(although I wish I could own Sesshomaru and Brady!!!) *Drools*]


	11. Sesshomaru's Confession

**__**

[A/N: Hi there! Thanks for all these wonderful reviews!!! Anyway, a couple of you asked how Inu-Yasha know about 'Days' (which beside Inu-Yasha is the best show on the planet). Well, I really don't know, it was an impulsive line…so how about Kagome explained it to him? Ah, whatever. Come up with some little anecdote yourselves. I have some writing to do.]

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XI: Sesshomaru's Confession

"Sesshomaru! What is your problem?! I didn't _embarrass _you, did I?" Gina demanded as she quickly followed after him, looking quite flustered. He didn't answer; he simply gave a low growl. Gina sneered a bit, but it quickly faded. She had _kissed _him! _What in all the hells was I thinking? _she asked herself furiously. She blushed a bit. Sesshomaru had seemed to almost…_enjoy_ her kissing him…and truthfully, she had too. 

After a few minutes of their break-neck speed, thunder rumbled above them. Gina hadn't even noticed that the light rain had changed to a slight shower. Sesshomaru hadn't noticed either; he was also preoccupied with his thoughts, both of Gina's kiss and his wounds.

Sesshomaru absentmindedly examined his largest wound, the one Inu-Yasha had just given him. He was lucky he had been cut right in half. _It's that damn girl's fault, _he thought scornfully. But…there was something else, too. The wounds that he had gotten earlier, which had already started to heal were now completely gone, with only faint scars in their place, and the one he had just received had already begun to mend. _When she kissed me, _he thought, _I could actually feel these wounds healing. Just what manner of being is Gina? _

He scowled a bit. _I know asking her what happened will prove to be fruitless, _he thought, _This is most likely another one of her phantom abilities._ His scowl grew. But soon, it faded. He looked back and saw Gina shivering slightly, her hair and clothing dripping, her feet caked in mud. There was that awful feeling of guilt and compassion again! _What in all the hells is wrong with me? _"Gina," he called gently. The young woman perked up a bit. "What, you want to yell at me again?" she asked. He could hear the tears in her voice. 

"Just come up here, you're lagging behind. I believe there's a cave a few miles up ahead," he replied. Gina looked quite surprised at his sudden kindness, and did as he said. She ran over to him, and then continued on walking next to him. 

"This isn't like some kind of inane punishment of yours, is it?" she asked quizzically. He glanced over at her, his eyes like golden ice. "I seriously doubt that being tolerant of someone as obnoxious as yourself if _far _from punishment," he replied sarcastically. Gina simply sighed and looked down. _I guess he is still cross,_ she thought. Well, what she had done _was _rather questionable. She really didn't know why she had kissed him. Her excuse was to get his attention…but, was that her true purpose? 

They walked silently for a few moments, when a bolt of lightning flashed behind them. Gina jerked a little, looking back as the bolt faded. She shivered even more as the rain, now a heavy downpour. Sesshomaru, soaked to the bone himself, glanced over at her. She was so drenched that, with the humidity, her yukata was sticking to her body, giving him a perfect view or her form. He swallowed hard, trying to shake the awful thought. 

Gina looked over at the demon lord, and saw his eyes were closed. As she watched him, a slight smirk grew on his face. "What are you thinking about that's so funny?" she asked cynically. He opened an eye, his slight smile fading. "Nothing," he said, his glance traveling down her slim form. He shook his head a little, earning a confused glare from Gina. He simply eyed her. After a few moments of a locked glare, Sesshomaru spotted the cavern he had spoken of earlier, and the two entered. 

Gina shivered even more as the cave's cold air hit her, but it was much better then being out in the rain. She sighed a little, straining her eyes to see in the dark. She reached into her pocket, grabbing a piece of flint. She had found it while traveling with Sesshomaru, and figured that it may come in handy. She stumbled around like a blind man, until her feet hit something soft. "Straw," she whispered triumphantly. And it was dry, too. She leaned down to grab a handful when she heard hissing. 

She stood completely still. "S-Se-Sesshomaru…" she stuttered, "T-t-there's a sn--" Before she could say more, she heard the sound of wet cloth, and then the final hiss of the snake. _Of course, _she thought, _He's a demon. _Then she felt a hand running up her arm. "You need to be more careful," he stated coldly. Gina sighed inwardly as he walked to the other side of their cave. _So, that's four times he's saved my life in the last week. _

After about fifteen minutes of hitting her little piece of flint against another rock, she got a spark, and quickly transferred it to her dry clump of straw. With the little bit of light, she looked for more snakes, and after determining that there were none, picked up two armfuls of hay. As she built up the fire, the room filled with light, and she was finally able to see what she was doing. 

Sesshomaru was leaned against the opposite wall, near the entrance, his eyes half closed. On the opposite side of the small cavern was a small bed of hay from where she got her kindling, which was evidently left behind by whatever beast had inhabited the cave last. She bit her blue lower lip, rubbing her hands together. She sat down next to her little fire, she sighed, shutting her eyes. 

"You're quite resourceful, for a _princess_," Sesshomaru said, glancing over at Gina. She opened her eyes and looked over at him, smirking a bit. "If that's a compliment, thanks. My father taught me before he died," she said. Saying this brought back many memories, but it was the least of her problems at this point. She wasn't sure if she'd _ever _see her family again. She sighed a little. 

A thoughtful looked crossed Sesshomaru's face. "Your father…how did he die?" he asked bluntly. Gina's eyes darted over to him, looking both intrigued at his question and a little hurt. Sesshomaru looked up, seeing her expression. "I didn't mean to turn up bad memories," he said. Gina shook her head a little. "No, it's okay. And to answer your question…he perished in battle about si years ago," she replied simply. 

Sesshomaru nodded. "As did mine. Trivial reasons for such tragic events, aren't they?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of compassion and understanding. Gina smiled half-heartedly. "You don't have to sit by yourself in the cold, you know," she said simply, smiling at him a little. Sesshomaru glanced over at her, watching as the light from the fire danced on her face. He stood, walked over, and sat down next to Gina. 

She looked up at him strangely. "You're cold. It's better to be near someone," he said, replying to her quizzical expression. She looked back down at the crackling flames, not really minding Sesshomaru being so close. A soft smile crossed her face, and without any hesitation, she leaned her head on his shoulder. Instead of protesting, he let her rest her head, smiling a little. 

Gina sighed a little, nuzzling her head against him. Then Sesshomaru did something unexpected. He leaned down, gentle kissing Gina's hair, inhaling her wonderful scent. As he moved away, she looked up at him dreamily. He smirked a little, and then leaned back down, gently kissing her on the lips. He pulled her closer, giving her a loving nuzzle. 

"Gina," he whispered gently into her ear, "At first…I thought of you as nothing but filth…but now…I'm not sure… how exactly I feel." Gina's eyes widened. _Is he saying…that he loves me?! _


	12. Gina's Decision

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XII: Gina's Decision

Sesshomaru could smell the stress on Gina growing. "Sesshomaru…" she started shakily, "What…what are you s-saying?" Sesshomaru gave a light sigh, and then released her from his gentle embrace. He quickly moved away, still sitting next to Gina, but not as close. "I suppose…that was a foolish thing to say," he said simply. 

Gina looked up at him. He may have seemed cold on the exterior, but she could see what he truly wanted to say in his pain-stricken eyes. _Of course…the beautiful princess will go to her prince…not the beast. _She felt heartbroken just looking at him. 

"Sesshomaru," she said placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head, looking over at Gina. Nether of them said a word. They simply gazed into each other's eyes. Then Gina leaned over, gently pressing her lips against his. As their kiss deepened, Sesshomaru ran his hand down her cheek, and then slid his arm around her pulling her close. A moment later their lips parted, and Gina sank down against Sesshomaru's chest. 

"There's…there's something I need…to tell you, Sesshomaru," Gina said hesitantly. Sesshomaru shut his eyes, prepared for the worst. But he had no idea how wrong he would be.

"Sesshomaru…I don't want you to take me back to my home," she said simply. Sesshomaru's amber eyed fluttered open. "Gina…you…want to stay with me?" he asked. The young woman looked up at him, smiling. In that instant, she didn't care about anything. Not her family, her title, nor her fiancée. She just wanted to be with Sesshomaru. "Just take me back to your castle," she said. At this, he leaned down and gave her another quick kiss, whispering into her ear once again. 

"I will in the morning, when its not raining like this," he stated softly, thunder rumbling outside. He planted a few kisses on her neck, getting a slight giggle out of her. "And I believe I've made my decision," he said. Gina gaped slightly, but it quickly turned to a small smile as she wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru's neck. "Aishiteru…Sesshomaru-sama." 

Thunder stuck through the air once again, and in startle, Gina snuggled against him. A small smirk crossed Sesshomaru's face, resting his chin on top of her head. "You don't need to worry, Gina. Just rest now…I'll protect you," he said gently. A slight smile danced on Gina's lips as Sesshomaru propped himself up against a wall of the cavern, and she shut her eyes. 

A few moments later, the young woman was asleep in his arm. He smirked a bit, shutting his eyes. The demon lord didn't really need the sleep, but where there was an opportunity to rest, he would take it. He sighed as Gina shifted gently in his embrace, and slowly, Sesshomaru nodded off. 


	13. Returning Home

**__**

[A/N: Hi there again. Oh, yeah. As I presumed you would be, a few of you were wondering if that was the ending. Of COURSE not! I KNOW you all want more Fluffy/Gina goodness. So, please enjoy. And as always, remember to review!! ^_^]

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XIII: Returning Home

About five or six hours later, Sesshomaru's eyes slowly opened as he awoke. Light was streaming in through the cave's entrance, and the rain had since stopped. He hadn't even realized that he had drifted off to sleep. He smirked a bit, looking down at Gina, who was still asleep and cuddled up against him. He leaned down, gently kissing her on top of the head. He then shut his eyes, simply inhaling her scent, when she began to stir. 

Gina opened her eyes about half way, taking a moment to remember where she was. When she did, she smiled big, sighing a little. "Oh, did I wake you?" Sesshomaru asked simply. "No," she replied tiredly, rubbing an eye, "How long was I asleep?" He didn't give an answer, simply shrugging his shoulders. Gina snuggled against him, smiling. She felt so safe. She never wanted to leave his arms again. 

As she began to doze off again, he shook her slightly. "Do you want to return t my castle or live out the rest of your life in this cave?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. She faked a slight laugh. "Ha ha ha, you're so funny," she said, pulling herself away. She leaned over and lightly kissed him before standing. Not looking where she was going, Gina stepped in a large pile of ash, left behind by the fire that had since burnt out. 

Gina giggled a little. Usually, her mother would make her take a _bath_ and change her clothes if she had gotten ash on herself. _But that was then, _she thought, _and this is now. And now…I'm with Sesshomaru. _She returned from her wistful thoughts when she felt an arm slip around her waist. As she looked up, the demon protectively pulled her closer. She quickly looked at his expression, and was quite worried. 

"Sesshomaru…what is it?" she asked, sounding quite worried. He looked down at her, and then back at the entrance of the cave. "Nothing…" he replied slowly, glancing down at her worried expression, "It was nothing." But he still sounded uneasy. 

As the couple walked slowly from the cave and through the forest, Sesshomaru, with Gina cuddling him intently, carefully eyed the forest. As his amber eyes darted back and forth, he couldn't help but wonder. Was_ there something out there? _He _had _picked up the scent of demon, but for such a deep forest, that was completely usual. But…it was almost as though he could feel something watching them like a hawk and its treasured meal. As Gina felt his grasp around her tighten, she looked up. 

"Are you sure everything alright?" she asked again. He nodded simply. And just like that, the suspicion was gone. But Sesshomaru still felt quite uneasy. "Come," he said icily, quickly dragging her along. "Sesshomaru! What is it?" Gina asked, sounding a little panicky. He looked down at her, growling a little. "Just stay quiet!" he hissed. She looked hurt when he said this, but of course, that was typical of him.

Sensing an odd feeling of being watched yet again, Sesshomaru's grip around Gina tightened protectively, and then out of nowhere, he leapt up into the air, carrying her along. Not expecting this, Gina gave a small squeak. He glanced down at her, smirking. "Don't worry. We'll get to my castle quicker this way," he replied. 

Gina looked down, feeling as though she pass out. "Uh…Sesshomaru…did I mention…that I was ah…a-afraid of heights?" she asked. "No," he replied simply. As Gina clung to him for dear life, Sesshomaru touched down on a treetop, and with a sly smirk on his face, he pretended to drop her. S he did this, Gina let out a large shriek, not realizing that he was still hanging onto her. When she discovered at she _wasn't _falling to her death, she looked up at him, glaring. 

"Don't DO that!!!" she yelled. Sesshomaur pulled her back into his firm grasp, chuckling a bit. "Do you actually think I'd let you fall to your demise?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm. "W-well…no," she replied simply. Sesshomaru's smirk faded, and he pulled her into a kiss. As Gina melted against him, the proud demon lord pulled away, and leapt back into the air. 


	14. Kyoko's Confusion

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XIV: Kyoko's Confusion 

It had taken a few hours, but Sesshomaru and Gina had finally reached the castle. Seeing it when she was conscious was quite impressive, since she hadn't really seen it. The demon lord set Gina down on the ground, rolling his shoulder. "Gods," he complained jokingly, "You're heavy. Have you gained weight?" 

Gina scowled a little. "Shut up!" she said. Smiling a little, Sesshomaru leaned down, planting yet another soft kiss on her lips. Gina gave a slight giggle, but soon pulled away. "You just don't know how to hold yourself back," she said gently, smiling. He kissed her again, smiling as well. "No, I really don't," he replied. He pulled away, grabbing onto her hand. "Come now, my servants probably think I'm dead," he said jokingly, "Especially that little toad Jaken." 

About ten minutes later, they were once again in the cold stone castle. As Sesshomaru walked down the hall, his usual proud and smug look on his face that he usually wore, but he also wore Gina around his arm. A moment later, the kitsune servant Kyoko began walking down the hall, carrying a large stack of linens. When she saw the couple walking own the large hallway, her jaw dropped. 

"Lord Sesshomaru…?" she asked, sputtering a little. Seeing that she had caught Sesshomaru and Gina's attention, she ran into the nearest room and set her pile of wash down somewhere, and then quickly walked back outside. She walked, nearly jogging, over to them, giving her master an odd look. "Milord…" she started cynically, "I thought that you were taking young Lady Gina here back to her home." 

"Yes, well," Sesshomaru started, hugging the young princess closer to him, "There's been a slight change of plan." At this point, the odd little toad demon Jaken had walked up behind Kyoko, eyeing both his master and the girl in his arm. Kyoko simply raised an eyebrow. "Um…milord, may I speak to for a moment?" she asked cynically. The demon lord sighed, sounding quite annoyed, when Kyoko gave yet another look, a look that spoke simply: _Just _you. 

Sesshomaru looked down at Gina for a moment, scowling sharply. "Will you _excuse _me for a moment?" he asked. Gina gave a slight smile, nodding. As Sesshomaru walked a few yards down the hall with Kyoko, Gina glanced down at the little toad. "She's acts like a big sister around him. Is she his ex or something?" she asked quizzically. Jaken shut his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "No, that little wench is just loud-mouthed and nosy."   


"What's going on between you two?!" Kyoko demanded in a loud whisper. "You're lucky I don't slice you into shreds," he replied acidly. "Answer me! How far have you two gone…?" she said, gasping as something came to her, "You evil little cretin! You knocked her up when you were supposed to be taking her back to her fiancé! Didn't you!? Didn't you!" 

Sesshomaru gaped and scowled all at the same time. "You wouldn't dare think that I'd do _that_!" he yelled. Of course, neither of them noticed that Gina and Jaken had been listening. "Do you actually think that I would do something like that?!!!" Gina yelled angrily. Kyoko laughed innocently, rubbing the back of her head. "Heh heh heh…guess I jumped the shark a bit there, heh heh," she said, turning, "Well, I guess I should leave you two lovers alone!" With that, Kyoko quickly walked off, leaving Jaken with a very confused look on his face. 

"Lovers, milord?" he asked, seeming a little shell-shocked. Sesshomaru simply gave him a sly smile before kissing Gina on the head. "That's none of your business," he replied mockingly. Gian then yawned a little. "Sesshomaru, I'm a little tired, I think I'm gonna go lay down for a bit," she said, snuggling against him. He smiled a bit, kissing her again. "Of course." With that, he led her down the hall, leaving a lightly-stunned Jaken behind. 


	15. Lord Kurai & Kyoko's Suspicions

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XV: Lord Kurai & Kyoko's Suspicions

A green, ogre-like demon darted through the dark forest. The demon who had attacked Gina. On his face was a large scowl. _The princess is mine, _he thought cynically. The demon skidded to a stop when he came upon a creature dressed in a baboon hide. "Ah…Lord Naraku…I've looked for you for a while," he said, changing into a human form. Naraku turned to him, lifting his hood. 

"Ah, Lord Kurai, I've been awaiting you for some time. I would have thought with your demonic qualities that you would have found me faster," Naraku said. Kurai smirked a bit. "Yes, well, I couldn't help but gaze upon my beloved _tennyo _and her new beau," he said. Kurai snickered a bit. "I can't wait to have her," he said dreamily. Naraku gave a heavy sigh. "Of course. I agreed to have you pose as dear Lord Kagewaki's younger brother and enchanted your people to believe so. Under this guise, you could be married to the Lady Gina and _then _give back the jewel fragments you stole from me," he said. 

Kurai licked his lips. "Ah, such lustrous beauty, yet such amazing power. And I'll get to take my revenge on Sesshomaru for marring my perfect face and wounding my shoulder," he said, indicating a large scar on his face and a wound on his shoulder, "And then trying to take away my lovely tennyo. The audacity." 

Naraku handed him a large, glowing white orb. "I supposed you wanted this," he said. "Ah, yes!" Kurai exclaimed gleefully. Her gripped the jewel with both hands, and in an instant, the image of a sleeping Gina tucked in Sesshomaru's arm, appeared. "So peaceful, so alluring…the only problem with it is Sesshomaru in my place," he said to himself. Kurai gave a slight growl, handing the silvery orb back to Naraku. "I'll have my tennyo, and when I do, you'll have this," he said, holding out a large jewel shard.

Naraku gave Kurai a final growl. "You better keep your end of the bargain, Kurai," he hissed. The other young lord gave a simple scoff. "Of course. I would do anything to get my hands on _that _heavenly maiden." 

*******

Sesshomaru sighed a little as he watched Gina sleep in his arms, snoring lightly. He had insisted on staying with her, though even _he _didn't know why. A slight smile crossed his face and his shut his eyes. _Ah, Gina…you have no idea how much I care about you, _he thought. He gently ran a few fingers down her face. He pulled away as she stirred. Gina cuddled up even closer to him, a slight smile crossing her face. "Mmmm…Sessho…maru…" she mumbled in her sleep. 

His face contorted a bit. _She's…d-dreaming about me? _he thought. Without even thinking, he leaned over and planted a small kiss on her lips. When he began to move away, her eyes opened. "Sesshomaru…how long have I been asleep?" she asked gently. "Only about a half an hour," he replied simply. Gina furrowed her brow.

"Earlier…did you feel like someone…or some_thing_ was watching us?" she asked. Sesshomaru sat up. "Do you mean when you were asking if everything was alright?" he asked in turn. Gina nodded a little. "Yeah. I felt like there was some kind of dark energy around us," she replied. She chewed on a fingernail for a moment, then looked up at him. "You _did _feel something in the air, didn't you?" she asked. Sesshomaru didn't want to worry her, but he also, for some strange reason, wanted her to know the truth. "Yes. It was fleeting…but I didn't want to risk you," he said coldly. Gina didn't answer, but shifted over, cuddling against him. 

Sesshomaru slid his arm around her as she shut her eyes again. "Sesshomaru," she whispered, "You don't have to worry…I'm right here…and I'll never leave you, because…I love you, with all my heart." 

Little did the blissful couple know, but they were being listened to, by none other than Kyoko. She gave a light sigh, her head hung in a mix of anticipation and sadness. _I just hope that she doesn't do him like Chidori did…_


	16. Scars of the Heart

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XVI: Scars of the Heart 

"Sesshomaru! I didn't mean for you to see that!" a young woman yelled. Her voice bounced off the cold stone walls, but the man she spoke to turned a deaf ear. A white-haired demon spun around, a heartbroken look on his face. "Shut up…you treacherous whore!" he yelled. A young woman jogged toward him, pulling on her loose and disheveled yukata. 

She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he quickly shoved her back. "Get away from me! I would _prefer _you not touch me!" he shouted, his voice like acid. As he said this, a half-dressed man with short, spiky black hair walked up, chuckling a little with a smug look on his face. "Well, well, Sesshomaru. Looks like you just saw a ghost," he laughed, throwing an arm around the young woman. 

Sesshomaru let out a huge growl. "Don't you even _touch _Chidori!" he shrieked. He lunged forward, but the older demon easily parried, sending him back. "Ha ha ha…little man. Foolish, really. Chidori's mine now," he said, pulling her closer. Chidori scowled a little at the both of them, but Sesshomaru looked as though he'd rip both their throats out. 

He smirked a little as acid began to soak his claws. "I'll…kill you, Tenchi! I swaer to the gods I'll kill you!" he yelled. Once again, Sesshomaru lunged forward at him. Tenchi gave a sickening smile, and when he neared, he punched Sesshomaru in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. 

"Stupid little man. Did you really think you could _touch_ the great Tenchi? C'mon! you're just a kid!" he laughed. Sesshomaru growled, but he was still incapacitated. "Hm. I guess I remind you of your dad, huh. Goin' off with some human slut. Hear they got a son now. Ah…it's too bad your mom had to kill herself over it. So many other guys she coulda had…" 

Sesshomaru attacked again, but, again, was blocked. He was simply too weak and young to fight against him. Tenchi…his mentor and long time friend had stolen Chidori from him. The woman he loved so much. Heartbroken and hazed in disbelief, Sesshomaru sank to his knees. As Tenchi walked off, still with Chidori in his arm, she gave him a sympathetic look. When they walked off, Sesshomaru blacked out. 

******

Sesshomaru's eyes opened with a start. He looked down, seeing Gina pressed against him, once again sound asleep. He gave a slight sigh. He hadn't had that awful dream in a while. He really didn't care, though. He himself had hunted Tenchi down, and by then, no one knew what had happened to Chidori. Biting his lip, he carefully pulled away from Gina as not to wake her. Making sure she simply stirred, Sesshomaru walked across his large room to a large door that led to his balcony. 

The demon silently stepped outside, breathing in the cool air. He walked over to the edge, gripping the icy marble railing with his one clawed hand. As a cool breeze blew around him, he let out a gentle sigh, slowly closing his eyes. 

Sesshomaru smelt the chilled air. All he could smell was Gina. Of course, that was soothing to him now. The scent of fragrant chrysanthemums tickled his nose. _What in the hells…? _A small smirk crossed his lips. "Ah, Chidori," he said softly, shutting his eyes, "Why do you still haunt me?" 

He turned his head when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Gina, I didn't hear you come out here," he said simply. Gina nuzzled against him. "I woke up and you weren't there, so I figured you came out here," she replied softly, closing her eyes, "Oh…and who, may I ask, is this Chidori woman?" 


	17. Clouded By Lust

**__**

[A/N: Important note, guys. When you submit a review, could you also e-mail me what you said? I know it's an added hassle, but I am currently not able to read any of my reviews for some reason. (Damn that ff.net! Damn them!) Anyway, I've tried to get them to respond to this problem by sending mail, but it is to no avail. So, if you want me to actually get to read your reviews, please e-mail to me as well.] 

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XVII: Clouded By Lust

Sesshomaru glanced down at Gina, but then back up at the sky. "I don't want to talk about it," he replied blandly. Gina flashed him a slight scowl. "Sesshomaru…if you don't really love me--" He cut her off with a rough, passionate kiss, much deeper than any he had given her before. The demon slid his arm around her waist, embracing her gently. They continued with their romantic kiss for a moment, when Sesshomaru broke it. 

Still hovering before her lips, he released her hips, entwining their fingers as Gina gently stroked his cheek, a clouded look in both of their eyes. He gave her another butterfly kiss, and then spoke. "Gina…I love you so much…" he said, kissing her again, "That I can't even explain it." He planted kisses all the way across her cheek to her ear, a small smirk crossing his face. 

"What do you say we go back inside and _lie down _for a while," he whispered into her ear devilishly. Gina giggled a little. She didn't care about anything but him at that moment. She just wanted to be his. She didn't even care who this woman he had been thinking about was. _For all I know she just as well could be his mother. _

Sesshomaru slammed his lips against Gina's as they walked backward toward his large bed. His sly grin grew as he ran into the edge of the large, regal bed. Gina broke their kiss, panting roughly. "Tiered out already?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. A small smile danced on her features, and she pulled Sesshomaru into another love-filled kiss. As they lip locked, they fell back onto his bed. 

Without even breaking their kiss, they began to tug at each other's clothing. A moment later, Gina lay half naked below him, and Sesshomaru's silk shirt was barely even on him. The demon noticed a slight blush on her face, and leaned closer. "Don't worry," he whispered, "You're more beautiful then I expected…y-you're perfect." 

A small smile crossed her face. "You don't look too bad yourself," she said seductively, noting his perfectly carved muscles. With that, she pulled his shirt off completely. Besides the fact that he was missing an arm, he looked like a god. Seeing that she was quite satisfied with what she saw, he leaned down, kissing his way down her chest. She laughed a little, tweaking one of his pointed ears. When she did this, he let out a small whimper, catching her attention quite well. 

"So, dogs _do _like there ears rubbed," she said, a smile creeping onto her face. Sesshomaru pulled himself up to her face, hovering right over her. "Do that again," he moaned, almost growling. A small smile formed on Gina's face as she pulled herself up, nibbling on his earlobe. She giggled as she felt him nearly melt in her grasp. She continued for a moment, fueled by Sesshomaru's whimpers, when he spoke. 

"Mmmm…Onegai…my Chidori-chan," he said, pausing a few times in pleasure. When these words registered in her mind, Gina quickly threw him off of her, already able to feel tears of betrayal in her eyes. She quickly jumped off the bed, pulling her kimono closed as she did so. "You…BASTARD!!!" she cried, a single, enraged tear running down her cheek. Sesshomaru sat up, fixing his shirt, still panting a little. "I can't believe you! I almost _gave_ myself to you!" she shrieked. 

As she headed for the giant doorway, Sesshomaru got up and tightly grabbed her arm. "Gina…" he started lowly, "You must let me explain." However, Gina simply tore away from him. "Am I just another one of your whores?" she demanded angrily sobbing. He began to speak but she cut him off. 

"I can't _believe _this…" Gina muttered, "I had such a great life back home…I was a princes damn it…a _princess_! I had so much going for me. I was going to marry a wealthy lord, I had a loving family…but now I'm just some demon's slut. How great is this? I've gone and messed up my life _big time_! And you know what, Sesshomaru? I love you, and always will. And for a while, you had me convinced that you loved me back. But you know what, as far as I'm concerned, you're _dead_!!!!" 

As Gina turned to walk out of Sesshomaru's cavernous bedroom, he grabbed her again, spinning her around. He pulled her into a forceful kiss, though she quickly fought him off. "Sesshomaru you _jerk_!" she yelled. Then, out of rage and heartbreak, Gina slapped him across the face, leaving a large, hand-shaped red mark on his cheek. He simply stared at her in disbelief, as she turned and left the room. 


	18. Running Away

**__**

[A/N: Okay, the review crisis of 2004 is over! YES! That means you don't have to send them to me any more via e-mail. Well, I hope you enjoy this chappie, too!] 

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XVIII: 

Gina stormed down the hallway as fast as she could, still sobbing. She didn't even care that she was disheveled and looked more like a prostitute than an exalted princess. She just wanted get as far away from Sesshomaru as fast as she could and get back to her family and old life. As she headed forward, she caught the attention of Kyoko. 

The kitsune quickly caught up with her, stopping the young woman. "Gina…what happened?" she asked, her voice full of concern. Gina simply tried to continue onward, but Kyoko grabbed onto her. "Tell me what's wrong, Gina!" she yelled. Gina wiped a few tears away. "Why don't you ask that bastard Sesshomaru!" she yelled back. Kyoko raised an eyebrow. _What did he do now? _

As soon as she thought this, the demon lord himself caught up to her, looking quite disheveled himself. He grabbed onto Gina's shoulder, but she forced him off. "Please, Gina…let me explain myself," he said. Gina cocked her head at him, glaring furiously. "I hope you rot and I hope it hurts," she growled. Kyoko gaped slightly when she said such a hurtful thing. What had her lord done to hurt her so badly? 

Sesshomaru tried to make a plea to her again, but she pulled away, burying herself farther into Kyoko's shoulder. "Milord…what exactly happened in there?" she asked bluntly. He looked down for a moment, looking as if he were trying to find the best way to explain. However, Gina beat him to it. 

"I was about to give myself to this lying, cheating, sneaky, cretin of a man when he moaned another woman's name!" she shouted briskly. Kyoko's eyes widened in surprise, but she knew the exact scenario. Gina was a dead ringer for Sesshomaru's first and last love, Chidori, and even though she had broken his heart, she knew that he still had some kind of feelings for her. But Kyoko had also realized that he cared deeply for Gina…he _loved _her, even. Kyoko hugged Gina tighter, trying her best to comfort the poor girl. 

Gina pulled away a little, glaring daggers back at Sesshomaru. "Oh," she started cynically, "And so you know, I'm going back to my fiancee to marry him and then make love to him just to spite you!!" With that, she tore away form the kitsune's grip, charging down the hall. Kyoko stood silent, watching Sesshomaru's face. She could actually pinpoint the moment that his heart ripped in half. He bit his lip for a moment, then followed after her. 

"Gina! Please, I beg of you…let me explain!" he said. She stopped moving and spun on a heel, looking as though, if she could have, she would have set him ablaze. "Let you explain…ha! I'll let you explain as soon as you can purify that piece of coal you have for a heart!" she yelled in response. Sesshomaru gave her an intense stare, as if his heart had broken again with seeing how much he had hurt her without even meaning to. 

Gina let out another stifled cry of anger, and then turned again, storming down the hall. Kyoko started following, but Sesshomaru stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Don't bother," he said coldly, "She'll be better off with the man she's to marry. All I've done is break that poor girl's heart. She'd be happier." 

The young princess ran down the hall, trying her best to hide her tears. As she did, she encountered little Rin. She stopped before the small child, who was looking up at her in concern. "Gina-chan…what's wrong?" Rin asked. A small smile crossed Gina's face as she wiped a few tears away. She knelt down next to her, watching as Rin bit her lip. 

"It's just because of something Sesshomaru said to me…and it really hurt," she cried. Rin simply gave her a big smile, wrapping her arms around her in a big hug. Gina forced a laugh, but it was hopeless. She looked at the little girl, and planted a small kiss on her forehead. "You're…too little to understand, Rin," she said. Gina then stood, Rin still holding her hand. 

"Where are you going, Gina-chan?" she asked gently. A small smile crossed Gina's face, but she seemed quite sad. "I'm…leaving, my little Rin. And I'm not coming back," she sobbed silently. Rin's eyes widened and began to fill with tears. "Why Gina-chan?! I'm sure Sesshomaru-sama is sorry!" she exclaimed. A small, saddened smirk crossed her face. "I'm afraid it's not that simple, little Rin. Saying sorry won't heal what he did to me." 

Gina then pulled her hand away from Rin's, crying. "I'm so sorry to leave…I'm so sorry," she said. With that, she turned, and continued through the maze of a castle, wanting nothing more than to get as far away from Sesshomaru as she could. After a few more minutes of running, she reached the castle's main door, bursting through into the cold night air. 

She ran until she reached the forest, where, tiered and grief-stricken, slowed down to a walk. She did not know that Sesshomaru was following her at a distance, planning to protect her from any demons or thieves need be. He simply wished to savor her sight and scent for the last time that he would see her, knowing that soon she would belong to another man. 

That was the way it had always been with him. He'd fall in love, and another man would have her. He looked around, smelling a demon. He gave a slight growl, loud enough only for a demon to pick up, and quickly, the scent was gone. 

He followed Gina for a few hours, listening to her sobbing and cursing his name. _How could I have done this to her? How could I have let my thoughts stray to that whore?! _He could feel his claws digging into his own palm, but he didn't really care. He would rather suffer the pain of losing his arm again than that of losing Gina. He stopped, shutting his eyes, and a few actual tears rolled down his cheeks, reflecting the silvery moonlight. "Oh my Gina…how can I loose you?" he whispered to himself, "I _won't _loose you!" 

He took another few steps, quickening his pace, when he heard the clatter of a war band and picked up the scent of horses and men. _No…_


	19. Realizations

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XIX: Realizations 

Gina stopped when she heard the clatters of a war band. She looked around, and soon, she saw the light of torches. A small smile crossed her face. _Good, _she thought, _They'll take me home, and then I'll get to marry Lord Kurai and give him children and forget about that jerk Sesshomaru completely!!_ She took a few steps forward into the main path of the forest. 

A moment later, she could see the horses and the men on them, and she the first man she saw was a handsome young prince wearing golden armor, his family crest on gauntlets and his horse's barding. She recognized this man immediately. Gina bit her lip, almost passing out in joy, but then remembered that she had to get his attention immediately. 

"Lord Kurai!!! It is I, Lady Gina!!" she cried, running toward him. The man turned his head, gasping silently as he saw her. As more soldiers approached, he leapt off his horse and ran to her. Gina, smiling ear to ear, ran and met him half way. The young prince took her into his arms, looking amazed. "Oh, Gina milady! You've been missing so long, we all believed that you had met a most terrible fate!" he exclaimed. 

Gina simply laughed it off, then snuggled against him. A soldier ran over to the two, looking amazed as well the Gina still lived. "Milady! You're safe! Would you like me to summon the doctors?" he asked. Gina looked down. Her feet and legs were quite cut up from running through the thick underbrush, and she certainly didn't want to travel after what had occurred earlier. "Yes, please, good sir. I'm also quite tired…if we could only rest, Lord Kurai?" she asked. 

The young lord nodded. "Of course, milady. I would not want you to strain, especially with what you have been through," he said. The other soldier nodded. "Yes, milord Kurai. I'll tell the others to set camp and to summon the doctor to Lady Gina's care at once," he said. With that, he walked off, and his commands could be heard through the woods. 

Sesshomaru watched as Kurai led Gina over to his horse, covered by the foliage. He could feel tears welling and his claws digging into his palms as he watched the woman he loved being helped onto the young lord's horse, almost like a knight in shining armor rescuing her. He caught one last whiff of her marvelous scent, picking up that of the young lord. The lord's scent seemed vaguely familiar, but he didn't care. He just wished that he could be with Gina. But of course, that was now out of the question. 

As Gina sat sidesaddle on the horse's smooth, leather saddle, she sighed. She had always been told to sit this way, told some strange tale that sitting like a man would make childbirth difficult. She had almost forgotten all of the proper innuendos, but she realized that she must follow the trivial little rules now that she was a princess again. Kurai quickly got on as well, seated in front of her. She gently wrapped her arms around his waist, sighing yet again.

"We're only going back half a mile, milady. To the center of the camp, where it's safer," he said. Gina gave a slight nod. "Alright," she said gently, nuzzling against him. But again, her thoughts began to stray toward Sesshomaru. _Is he hurting as much as I am? Did I break his heart when I left? No!!! I can't love him! He's a demon, I'm a mortal! It's as simple as that! Besides…I'm engaged to Lord Kurai. _She simply nuzzled deeper into Kurai's back, nodding off into a light sleep, which was filled with dreams of her and her future husband. _I think I'll give him nine children. No, ten. He'll love me more if I give him many heirs…_

A little while later, Gina lay on a smooth silk futon as one of the war band's doctors treated her wounds with different salves and wrapped her feet and calves in bandages. She sighed, looking up into Kurai's hazel eyes, who had been by her side the entire time. The doctor gave her a slight nod, directions that she didn't listen to, and then left. 

"Can I get you anything, milady?" Kurai asked. Gina simply shook her head, propping herself up on a pillow. But of course, Kurai insisted, and began mixing a small cup of tea for her. "No, Lord Kurai, spare yourself the trouble. I can prepare my own tea," she said gently. Kurai simply shook his head. "No, no. I don't want you to have to lift a finger," he replied. 

Gina smiled gently, then closed her eyes. "You're too good to me, milord," she said gently. Taking this opportunity, Kurai pulled a small vile half filled with an orange liquid, putting a few drops into the green tea. He quickly slid the bottle away, stirred the tea a little more, and then tapped Gina on the shoulder. "Milady, your tea," he said gently. She opened her eyes, taking the tea, a large smile dancing on her lips. She took a large sip, and then gave a sigh. 

"It's been so long since I've had a good cup of tea," she said gently. Kurai smiled at her. "No problem. I'm just glad you're all right. I know your family will be ecstatic to hear this great news. But…might I ask…how you were able to survive for so long in a land filled with demons?" he asked. Gina nearly choked when he asked this. Sesshomaru had been the one who kept her safe, but…how in all the hells would she explain it? 

"Oh, I guess it was just good luck," she replied quietly. She then took another sip of her tea, and set the cup down. "Goodness," she said, interrupted by a yawn, "I guess I was more tired than I had realized. Would you mind excusing me?" Kurai nodded a little, moving the half-finished cup of tea. Then he leaned over, laying a light kiss on her lips. As soon as he pulled away, Gina began to blush, and he stood. 

"I am truly sorry, milady. I should not have done that…it was completely inappropriate," he said with the utmost formality. Gina smiled a little. "Do not fear. It's alright," she replied. Kurai smiled, and then walked out of the tent. When he was out of her view, a sinister look crossed his face. "Don't worry, my little tennyo. You will be mine…and then I will have no need to hold myself back," he muttered sinisterly. With that, he walked away, heading to his own tent. 

Gina shivered a little, still feeling the warmth for her future husband's lips on her own. She just felt so empty. He was nothing like Sesshomaru. Kurai seemed so cold. And all that kiss did was make her heart ache for Sesshomaru. Gina shook her head lightly. _No, _she thought, _Sesshomaru broke my heart! I can't go back to him! _Gina then groaned a little, rubbing her head. "Gods," she mumbled, laying her pillows back down, "I'm so tired…I really should get some sleep." With that, the young woman lay down, and almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep. 

A few miles away, heading back toward his castle in heartbroken defeat, Sesshomaru walked, a bland scowl on his face. He gave a light sigh, his silver hair being blown in the wind. He was simply thinking about Gina. Her wonderful scent, her beautiful eyes. He had just inhaled that wonderful scent one last time, and yet it still seemed hard to remember. The human she was with…didn't smell exactly…human. The demon lord stopped dead in his tracks as it hit him. The human lord that had _rescued _Gina was no human at all…but the demon that he had saved her from when they had first met. 

__

No…Gina…I've led her to her death! 


	20. Near Death

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XX: Near Death

A little while later, Gina awoke, feeling the weight of another on top of her. She felt so groggy, like she could barely move. Finally finding the strength to open her eyes, and saw Kurai on top of her, groping her most inappropriately with a wicked grin on his face. "L-lord……Kurai…" she stammered. She looked up at him in fright. She couldn't move…and she could barely speak. _What had he done to her? _

"Sush, my little beauty…soon you will be mine and you will have no reason to remember that scoundrel Sesshomaru," he said, placing a finger on her lips. _How does he know about Sesshomaru?! This…this has to be a dream! This just has to be! _Gina shook terribly as Kurai ripped off the top of her yukata. "Please…stop," she begged. This was much too real to be a dream. This was truly happening. "Milord…please! We…cannot…do this…it's not right!" she protested. 

Kurai chuckled a little. "Why?" he asked, leaning down near her face as he grasped one of her breasts. Gina shook at his touch. "We're only finishing what we started earlier," he continued. Gina looked at him strangely. "What…are…you…talking about?" she asked, still shaking. Kurai gave a slight laugh, and then, his ears came to a point, his teeth grew to fangs, and his eyes turned red. 

"Have I showed you enough?" he asked, his voice much deeper. Gina yelped in terror. The demon that Sesshomaru had kept from raping her was back on her, and this time, she doubted that she would have good enough luck to have a second righteous man come along and rescue her. "No…please!" she shrieked weakly. She didn't even have the strength to even _try _to fight him off. What was wrong? Why couldn't she move? 

"What…did…you…do to…me?" she demanded. Kurai chuckled, then planting a rough kiss on her lips. After a moment, he pulled away. "When you weren't looking, I put a few drops of a paralyzing poison into your tea. You won't be able to move for another few hours…plenty of time to have my way with you," he chuckled. Gina winced and looked away, but then felt a force pulse through her. It was almost like the time that she had saved Sesshomaru and herself. 

Out of nowhere, she got the strength to lift her arm. As she did so, she felt energy pulse through it, and a light blast out from her hand, burning Kurai's shoulder. He let out a large growl as he grasped the wound, pulling off of her. Kurai stood, chuckling a little. "So…you _are _a tennyo," he said briskly. Gina's eyes widened. "What…do you mean?" she asked shakily. Kurai laughed at her again. "Exactly what I said, my little tennyo. Now, I don't think it's right for you to misbehave like that. It's time to _tame_ my little tennyo!" 

As he said this, his claws grew, and he swiped them across Gina's body, leaving four large gashes. As blood seeped down her body, Gina continued to shiver. Kurai licked the blood off of his claws, and prepared to attack her again, when he heard one of his soldiers yell demon. When he heard this, a sinister smirk crossed his face. "Well, well. It seems lover boy has come to rescue his princess. Will you enjoy seeing him die, my little tennyo?" 

Gina didn't answer. She simply shook in pain and fear. _I'm not a tennyo…I'm not an angel…I'm just a princess who's in love with and wants to be with Sesshomaru!!! _

Looking down at Gina as tears rolled down her cheek, blood seeped from her wounds and she writhed in fear made Kurai smile and chuckle with satisfaction. "That she teach you to disobey me, little tennyo. But for now, I'm going to take care of Sesshomaru," he scoffed. With that, the demon turned, and left the tent.

When he got outside, he transformed into his human likeness again. He looked up, and saw Sesshomaru, a large scowl on his face. There were already a few bloodied bodies at his feet, and there were even more soldiers that, even if they hoped to vanquish the demon, were simply lining up to be next. Sesshomaru sniffed the air, and then his amber eyes fell on Kurai. If looks could kill, every soldier there would have died. 

"Where is Gina?! I can smell her blood! What have you done to her?!" he demanded angrily. One of the soldiers raised his battle-axe at this. "You monster! You won't lay a hand on the princess!" he shouted, charging at Sesshomaru. However, he didn't get close. Sesshomaru hacked off the soldier's head with his whip of light, spattering blood on the dirt. His glare then turned back to Kurai. "Now, answer me you damn demon!" 

Kurai chuckled, and that soon developed into a humiliating laugh as he cracked his knuckles. His soldiers were looking at him like he had gone insane, and looking at Sesshomaru as well, questioning why he had called their lord a demon. 

"That explosive little slut? I've _plucked _that little flower," he sneered. Sesshomaru's jaw nearly dropped. _She would've never let that happen…_ he thought. He dug his claws into his palm, and then bolted past him, charging toward the tent that Gina's scent was emanating from. When he saw the condition she was in, he gaped. Snapping out of it, he quickly knelt down next to her, pulling Gina's limp form onto his lap. 

"Gina…are you alright? Please answer me," he pleaded. Gina simply gave a whimper, not even opening her eyes. _Am I…too late? Did she loose too much blood? Is my Gina-chan…dieing? _He quickly shook the thought from his head, giving a loving nuzzle. "Gina-chan…please wake up…I love you so much…" At this, Gina's eyes opened half way. "Sesshomaru…you came…" she said, a weak smile on her face. 

"Of course I did," he replied, "But you have to tell me. What did that monster do to you?" Gina let out another whimper. "He…put something…that…paralyzed me…in my tea…and then…tried to rape me again…" she sputtered. Sesshomaru gave a fierce, low growl, his eyes glowing blood red. "Don't worry," he said, lying her back down, "I will slaughter him!" As the demon lord stood, hell bent on killing Kurai, the demon tore the thin tent away from them. 

"GET AWAY FROM MY TENNYO!!!" Kurai shrieked angrily, baring his fangs and claws. Sesshomaru eyed Kurai oddly. _Tennyo…? _He wouldn't even dare look back at Gina. Not until he slaughtered Kurai. "You…" Sesshomaru hissed, unsheathing Tokijin. Kurai gave yet another one of his sickening laughs, his claws growing even longer. "Even with your sword, Sesshomaru…you don't stand a chance against the great Kurai!" 

Sesshomaru would've attacked right then and there, but he didn't want to put Gina at risk. "You want me…then come and get me!" Sesshomaru yelled, leaping over him out into the middle of the group of awe-struck soldiers. When he landed, the demon lord spun around, ready to strike with the Tokijin. Kurai followed, swiping at him with his claws. They continued on like this for a few turns, each attacking, parrying. Kurai needed to find a way to kill Sesshomaru. And then it came to him. 

Kurai let Sesshomaru strike him once with the Tokijin, and then faltered. He fell to his knees, whimpering in pain. Sesshomaru gave a victorious chuckle. "Well, well," he said, raising his demon blade, preparing to chop off his head, "It's seems that you'll soon you'll just be rust on my blade, blood on the ground, and I'll take my Gina-chan back with me!" Kurai gave him a simple, cynical laugh. "Oh, but you're sadly mistaken." 

Nearly at the speed of light, Kurai spun around, and sent an open through Sesshomaru's torso. The white-haired demon went pale as the happened, wincing in pain. Kurai let out yet another laugh as he felt his opponent's blood seep down his hand. "Ha ha ha…now _you'll _be the one to die, Sesshomaru!!" he laughed, wrenching his hand around. At this, Sesshomaru let out another cry of pain, his eyes closing. There was so much pain…and his sight was starting to go black. 

Gina fought the poison with all her strength to sit up, and when she did, she saw Sesshomaru, a pain-stricken look on his face, and Kurai's fist through his chest. She struggled, and fueled by only willpower, she stood, shakily supporting herself. _Sesshomaru…I won't let you die!!!_ Gina felt another throb in her chest, and she was blinded by a white light that seemed to be growing inside her. 

Kurai pushed Sesshomaru from his hand, throwing him to the ground. "Don't worry. Soon you'll be in hell and this pain will be nothing compared to _that_," he said sinisterly. Sesshomaru let out a large growl, trying to stand. Kurai then picked up Tokijin, smirking. "For shame. Killed with your own blade while you were trying to save a human that you were in _love_ with. What a pathetic end for such a prud, ferocious demon." 

With this thought completed, Kurai raised Tokijin up into the air as his soldiers looked on, each of them with a look of terrified disgust on their faces. "You'll die for thinking you could take away _my_ tennyo!" Kurai laughed again. With that, he began to draw the blade down. 

Sesshomaru cringed as his own blade reached his neck. His life was about to end. And there were so many things that he had yet to accomplish, yet to say to his dear Gina…_Oh my Gina-chan…I love you so much…I simply wish that you would not have to suffer the fate of being bound to this monster for the rest of your life!! _But before the blade struck, there was a flash of light. 


	21. To Live in Transcendent Bliss

**__**

[A/N: Here we are. I will say only one thing: the below is not the ending!!!! I cannot stress enough that even though it sounds like it…is AIN'T!! I'll e-mail you like I've been doing when I update again…but just keep that in mind. Please enjoy!!!] 

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XXI: To Live in Transcendent Bliss 

When the light faded, Kurai gave out a sharp wail of pain as his twitching, severed arm hit the ground, still gripping onto Tokijin. As the other demon still cried out, Sesshomaru looked up, gaping in amazement. Gina was standing there, dressed in only silver armor with strange markings and sheer silk. She was glowing with the rage of a thousand wrongs, and her hair was fluttering in an absent wind. She had no wounds, and was apparently not under the influence of any poison, either. 

But what mystified him most was the ethereal glow that surrounded her, and even stranger yet was the sheer, shining hagoromo that hovered around her shoulders. She had a glowing, three-pronged staff in her hand, and she was pointing its blades right at Kurai's writhing body. 

"I know of all these deceptions, you impudent monster! Did you truly think that you would be able to harness to powers of a sacred tennyo?" she demanded angrily. Kurai gave no answer, simply a pained growl. Gina sliced him again, splitting him in two. But he still continued to cry out. Gina bent over and dug in a pocket of his armor. When she pulled back her hand, she held a shard of the Shikon jewel. And as she removed the jewel shard, all but the arm she had severed form him earlier disintegrated, and the red glowing shard purified in a bright white light. 

"I shall keep these," she said scowling. She looked down at Sesshomaru, and when she saw the saddened look in his eyes, she knelt down beside him, a slight smile on her face. "Sesshomaru…" she said. Gina's voice had seemed to deepen, as if with this newly awakened power, she had matured. "What…what is this power?" he asked bluntly. Gina furrowed her brow. "I am not sure how I should explain," she replied. "I am a tennyo. A sacred angel. But I am also more. I am what is called a _tennin, _a guardian angel of the Buddha's people. I am to fight evil and diverge harm from those who do not deserve it." 

Sesshomaru winced. "Oh, yes," Gina said, "This wound. Here, let me help." Gina put her hand against the large wound, and her hand began to glow. He winced again, and a light enveloped the whole wound, and when it faded, he was healed. A small smile crossed his face. "That's much better." But soon, his face fell into despair along with the rest of him. 

"But…I do not understand. You've lived in this realm for so long, why must you leave now?" Sesshomaru asked. Gina felt a few tears stream down her face. "Now, with this reawakening of my power, I must leave to the heavens where my they will remain in check. I simply do not to wish to hurt anyone. But before I go…there are some things I have yet to do. With the awakening of my powers, I have been enlightened to the reasons for this night. First, I will explain why this has all happened." 

"There never was a lord Kurai. He was simply a lustful demon who had discovered that I was a fallen angel. When he came in contact with a shard of the Shikon no Tama, he used its power to convince the people that he was a young, devoted lord. He sought my hand in marriage. When I got lost in the woods, he could no longer hold himself back, and so he tried to force himself on me. Thanks to you, that awful fate was avoided, and you know the rest. And this brings us here," she explained. 

Sesshomaru could barely take it. He _was _losing Gina. _But at least not to such a terrible fate…_ "Sesshomaru," Gina started, pulling Tokijin from the grasp of Kurai's dead hand, "Remove the sleeve that covers your missing arm." Sesshomaru simply shook his head. "It will not work. That arm will simply rot away like all the others, and I will be just as I am now." "No, Sesshomaru. There you are wrong. I will give you my blessing, and all will be well," she said, handing him the arm. Sesshomaru removed his sleeve, and attached the arm as Gina looked away. When he was done, she turned to him again. 

Looking as though she were in prayer, she rimmed her fingers along the divide of his flesh and that of the demon he had just fought. In yet another flash of her angelic energy, the undead arm matched the one on Sesshomaru's right side. When Gina pulled her arm away, Sesshomaru gripped his new arm in a fist. "Impossible…" he muttered to himself. 

"This arm has become your own flesh. It is now as if you never went into battle the day you lost it, and all will be well," she said, her words coming out between sobs. Sesshomaru clothed himself completely, and then pulled her close, trying his best to comfort her. But truthfully, he felt like sobbing as well. "Gina," he said, gently stroking her hazel-streaked hair. But he could not continue. His voice was took choked with tears. 

"Sesshomaru…" Gina mumbled softly into his chest. She wished that they could remain like that forever. _In perfect, transcendent bliss…just like this for eternity. _But she knew that would never happen. Their love could never be. She looked up at him, and saw that the proud demon was actually shedding tears. "Sesshomaru," she repeated, forcing back her own cries, "I want you…to place your mark on me…so that even in the heavens…I will be known to be yours for all of eternity." 

"As you wish," Sesshomaru said, brushing some of her hair away. When the back of her neck was clear, he took his middle claw, and gave her a small slash. She winced as he wiped away the blood, but she was happy. Under usual circumstances, they would, by now, be mates. But that, too, would never happen. Knowing this, Sesshomaru pulled Gina into one last passionate kiss, which she quickly melted into. A moment later, when they parted, they gazed into each other's eyes for a moment. 

By now they were both silently crying, knowing that they would never see one another again. "Gina…just know that I love you more than my own life…and if I ever had to, I would die to protect you," he said, just before kissing her again. When they parted, Gina spoke. "And Sesshomaru, please know that you will remain in my heart for eternity, and that I will always pray for you…" 

The two then stood, shared one last loving embrace, and Gina took a step back. She quickly recovered the javelin that she had set down, and took another step back, this one into the air. "Sesshomaru…goodbye…my love." With these tender words spoken, Gina took to the skies, ascending higher then any could have dreamed. A few moments later, she disappeared into the star-filled sky, which was glowing especially bright that night. 

And as she disappeared, pink rose petals fell from the sky, blowing in an absent wind. All of the soldiers watched in awe, barely believing what they had just seen. Of course, Sesshomaru knew what it was. "Gina…at least…you'll be happy…" 

__

…To live forever in transcendent bliss, and spend eternity never moving…


	22. Tokiwokoeru Omoi

__

On a Wing & a Prayer

Part XXII: Tokiwokoeru Omoi 

It had been nearly two months since Sesshomaru had last seen Gina. He had barely done anything, and only left his large wing of the castle on rare occurrences. He had simply been in mourning of her. He knew that she was in a much better place than he would be able to provide, but he still missed her gravely. Today, though, was different. He had left his castle due to reports that some demon was defiling his lands, and was now wandering through the woods in search of this disturbance, accompanied by his long-time retainer, Jaken. 

The odd little toad demon had noticed the change in his lord's demeanor as well. It seemed as thought nothing mattered. He had not slaughtered any soldiers for amusement, had not sought the Tetsusaiga from his younger half-brother. Nothing! He even bet that if that miserable half-breed were to slap him in the face, his lord wouldn't mind at all. It would simply be an annoyance, now. Jaken gave a slight sigh. It was as the demon lord was a completely different man. 

Sesshomaru gave a large sigh, closing his eyes. The sweet scent of cherry blossoms came to him, and he looked up. Of course, it was simply a few of the lovely trees, and not his lovely Gina. He let out another sigh. Just to hold her yet another time in his arms…he would give up anything. But of course, he knew that would never come. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he failed to notice the thunder rumbling overhead. 

Many miles away, walking through a distant part of the same forest was a tennyo, her armor aglow. It was Gina, with tears welling in her eyes. As the wind blew around her, she remained undisturbed, and yet she watched as the cherry blossoms fell around her. She gave a saddened sigh, and as tears rolled down her cheeks, rain began to fall from the sky. She had tried to forget about Sesshomaru, but it was impossible. She reached behind her neck, running a finger along the small scar on the back of her neck. As she let more tears fall, more thunder rumbled, and the rain persisted. However, she was unscathed.

She could only dream of him protecting her, now. They could not be together. He was a youkai, she a tennyo. It was as simple as that. And if either persisted, they would most likely be banished to hell. Gina stopped walking, and sat down on a large boulder. A few more tears dripped down her face, and she pulled a small harp out of a silk scarf that she had tied to her armor. She had learned to play as a child, and had finally taken it up as an angel. 

A small smile crossed her face, and she touched the smooth strings. _Please…Sesshomaru…let this reach your ears, so that you will know that I love you still after all this time. _She started playing a slow, sad song. This sad, angel's melody would've broken the hearts of anyone who listened. As she played, she sang an even sadder song, the traditional song of the tennyo. 

__

Shiba shi nasguamin

Naryurayashi ga

Tû mu ni nagamiyuru

Hitû nu uteikayoya no

Nuyude ni teiru chichi ni wan'ne

N'kaitei nachuga…

Sesshomaru's ears perked up. He could've sworn that he heard the strumming of a harp, and the singing of a brokenhearted woman. And he believed he knew the owner of that wonderful voice. "Gina…can it truly be?" 

Jaken looked up at him strangely. "Milord…what are you talking about?" he asked. Sesshomaru didn't answer. He sniffed the air. _Is it possible? _Totally disregarding his faithful servant, Sesshomaru dashed off toward the beautiful sounds of the playing heart and heartbroken voice, as well as Gina's wonderful scent, which was mingling with the smells of rain and cherry blossoms. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him, when he stumbled upon a young woman, sitting on a large rock, a harp in her hand. 

Tears forming in his eyes, he listened as she sang the heart wrenching verse once more, playing her own accompaniment. _Has being away from me truly caused her this much heartbreak? Even though she now dwells in the heavens…she cannot forget me? _"Ah, milord!" Jaken said in a loud whisper, waddling up next to Sesshomaru, "A sacred tennyo! We should go _now_! Spy unwarily and she may send you to hell!" 

A small smirk formed on the demon's face. "Truthfully, I could care less. But…there is something I must do," he replied. He then walked through the barrier of trees, and right up behind Gina without her even noticing. She was much too involved with the song of lament that she sang and in fact, had tears running down her cheeks. His smile growing, he gently slid his arms around her shoulders, giving a slight sigh. 

Gina set her harp down on her lap, completely amazed by Sesshomaru's presence. "You looked cold from this rain," he said. "So I'm going to stay like this until you warm up again. You can push me away if you so desire." Gina bit her lip, setting her hands on his. "How can you even think I'd consider pushing you away," she started, her eyes teary, "When I love you so much?" He let out a sigh, his arms moving around her waist and his head resting on a shoulder. "And yet we both know," Sesshomaru started, "That we cannot be together." 

Gina pulled herself forward, but then spun back around. She leaned forward, kissing him for a moment. When they parted, they gazed into each other's eyes. "Sesshomaru…I'm simply glad to see your face again…" she said, crying a little more. Sesshomaru wiped away a few of her tears, and then pulled her close. He kissed her hair, and gave a loving nuzzle. "Oh, Sesshomaru," Gina said, muffled by his chest, "I just wish we could stay like this forever. I just wish…that I never had to leave you again. I would even give up heaven…"

Sesshomaru buried his face in her hair. "I would give up anything…just to make that one wish of yours come true," he said. He held her there for a moment, raindrops and cherry blossoms falling around them. "Is this truly what you both desire?" 

Slightly startled, the two looked up, and saw a second angel, dressed in a garb identical to Gina's. She picked up the harp that Gina had let fall to the ground, her reddish hair bouncing as she did so. "M-mother…" Gina started. But she cut her off. "Gina, my child, do you truly wish to spend your existence with this man?" she asked. Sesshomaru's arm still wrapped tightly around her, she nodded. "I love him more than my own existence, Lady Caelin. I would do anything just to be with him…but I know that loving a mortal is forbidden," Gina said, pulling herself from Sesshomaru in heartbreak. 

The woman called Caelin shook her head. "No. I have seen to many angels' whose love of a mortal was prohibited, and when their love became malevolent energy, there were damned. And I will not let this cruel fate fall upon my own daughter," she said. Gina gaped. Was she actually being permitted to stay with Sesshomaru? 

"Sesshomaru," Caelin continued, "For a demon, you have showed both great love and great virtue toward my daughter in her time of need. As long as you promise to keep on as you've done so far, I will grant your wish." Sesshomaru smiled, pulling Gina close. "Of course. I love Gina more than my own life. You needn't ask that I protect her, for I will weather she needs it or not." 

The angel known as Caelin smiled, a small wand forming in her hand. "Gina, please take a step back," she said. Gina did as the angel had asked, and watched as she pointed her wand at Sesshomaru. There was a large flash of angelic power, and when it faded, Sesshomaru stood in glistening armor, which was nearly identical to that of Gina and Caelin. "What is this?" he demanded. Caelin simply smiled. "The armor of a sacred warrior," she replied. 

Sesshomaru looked down, examining the shining, silver armor. Gina was simply looking back and forth between them. Caelin sighed, walking up closer to him. "Promise to heed the call to protect this world and take care of my Gina, you will keep this coveted title and be able to stay together," she said. Sesshomaru glanced over at Gina, and saw the ecstatic look on her face. A small smile crossed his face, and he took her into his arms. They shared a slight kiss, and as they did so, Caelin disappeared. Gina gently nuzzled against his chest, and as she did so, the rain stopped. They _would _be together forever, and there was nothing that could ever tear them apart. 

~_Fin~_

****

[A/N: Awesome, right? Well, thanks for all the support throughout the duration of this fic. Anyway, I loved this fic probably just as much as you did, so I am definitely writing a sequel!! If you'd like me to e-mail you when its up, please just put your address on your review and I'd be glad to. Oh, and in case you were wondering, that song was a part of a traditional Okinawan song. Well, it's been real!] 

Fiora Kariakis-Mana

A.k.a.

Angel Kisses 

*^_~*


End file.
